Lipidostrophic conditions involve the abnormal distribution of fat in tissues such as: under the eyes, chin, hips, and thighs. Cellulite is one lipidostrophy wherein subcutaneous fat deposits cause the skin to have a coarse texture variously described as “orange peel” or “cottage cheese.” The condition is believed to be attributable to a combination of fat storage and distribution and edema in the connective tissue resultant from mild lymphatic blockage with some connective tissue involvement. The condition occurs most frequently in women.
Various therapies have been proposed for the treatment of cellulite ranging from surgery to injections of therapeutic material. However, since cellulite is generally not considered to be a condition posing a serious threat to general health, such invasive treatments are not generally justified. In some instances, transdermal applications of anti-estrogens or androgenic materials have been employed to alter the physiology of subcutaneous tissue in an attempt to reverse the appearance of cellulite. In other instances, therapeutic materials such as transition metal compositions have been used in an attempt to bind collagen and elastic fibers so as to thicken the skin and thereby eliminate the appearance of cellulite. Such therapies are shown for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,071,526 and 6,358,539. In other instances, compositions including theophylline and other such xanthine compounds have been employed to control cellulite. Therapies of the prior art have limited efficacy and/or undesirable side effects; therefore, there is still a need in the prior art for a safe and effective method for treating cellulite and other such lipidostrophies.
As will be explained in greater detail hereinbelow, the present invention is directed to a composition which employs phosphatidylcholine as an active ingredient for controlling the metabolism and/or distribution of subcutaneous fat. While phosphatidylcholine has been used topically in a number of compositions for the treatment of the skin, it has not previously been shown to be effective as an agent which penetrates the dermal barrier and actively influences fat metabolism and/or distribution. In fact, in the prior art, phosphatidylcholine has primarily been used as an ingredient for forming liposomes and like micellar structures used to encapsulate active ingredients. In general, the prior art has recognized and taught that phosphatidylcholine itself is incapable of penetrating the dermal barrier in the absence of penetration-facilitating agents such as surfactants and the like used in a micellar structure. In this regard see U.S. Published Patent Application 2003/0039668.
The present invention is directed to a topical preparation which is active to control fat distribution and metabolism. These compositions can be used to treat various lipidostrophies, and will be discussed primarily with reference to their use in reducing the appearance of cellulite. However, it is to be understood that the compositions have utility in treating other conditions involving fat distribution.